#2

The Night Stalker

aka Richard Ramirez



The American serial killer known as the Night Stalker committed his crimes from 1984-1985 in the state of California. He claimed the lives of 14 victims during this time frame.

Ricardo Leyva Munoz Ramirez (aka Richard Ramirez) was born on February 29, 1960 in El Paso, Texas. He was the youngest of 5 children and suffered an abusive, turbulent childhood. Due to two serious head injuries in early childhood, Richard suffered from epileptic seizures until adolescence. When Ramirez was a young teenager, he grew close to his cousin Mike. Mike was a highly decorated Vietnam War Veteran. Mike showed Ramirez pictures that he had taken of various war crimes and women that he had raped in Vietnam. Mike fatally shot his wife in the face while Ramirez was present and was subsequently arrested. After this, Ramirez grew withdrawn from his family and began doing strange things, like sleeping in a graveyard. Mike was released from jail and all charges were dropped due to his "insanity" plea from PTSD. Ramirez moved in with his sister Ruth. Ruth's husband was an "obsessive Peeping Tom" (source: Carlo, Philip (1996). The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez) who brought Ramirez along on his excursions. During this time, Ramirez began experimenting with LSD and became very interested in Satanism. As a teenager, Ramirez began to have fantasies about violent sex including forced bondage and rape. Ramirez began working at a hotel & was accused of robbing guests. He soon lost this job when he was caught attempting to rape a hotel guest; all charges were dropped from this incident. Ramirez dropped out of high school in 9th grade and moved to California where he permanently settled.

What brought him down? His own fame & notoriety. It's hard to hide when everyone in the nation is looking for you.

Ramirez committed his first known murder on April 10, 1984 in San Francisco, California. His victim was 9 year old Mei Leung. Ramirez raped, beat, and stabbed young Mei. He was not connected to this crime until 2009 when DNA evidence was matched. This crime is not technically included in the string of murders contributed to the Night Stalker as it was not initially linked to him.

On June 28, 1984, 79 year old Jennie Vincow was found brutally murdered in her apartment in Los Angeles, California. She was found stabbed repeatedly and her throat had been slit as she was sleeping. The killer's fingerprint was found on the window screen that he used to gain access to the apartment.

Ramirez lays low for a time but his crimes quickly escalate.

On March 17, 1985, Ramirez came out of hiding and terrorized Los Angeles. He viciously attacked Maria Hernandez, age 22, outside of her home and attempted to shoot her. Through a stroke of luck, Maria's keys ricocheted the bullet and she was not hit. Maria's roommate heard the commotion outside and hid in the kitchen after seeing Ramirez attack Maria. Ramirez spotted 34 year old Dayle Okazaki and shot her in the head. Ramirez quickly fled the scene but was not ready to stop his spree. Within 1 hour of the Hernandez/Okazaki crimes, Ramirez shoots 30 year old Veronica Yu twice in the head after pulling her out of her car. Witnesses to his crimes describe him as having curly hair, bulging eyes, and rotting teeth. He is dubbed the "Walk In Killer" and the "Valley Killer" after this.

Ten days later on March 27, 1985, Ramirez arrives at the Zazzara home in Los Angeles. He had previously robbed this home and knew what he was looking for. He killed sleeping 64 year old Vincent Zazzara by shooting him in the head.  44 year old Maxine Zazzara, Vincent's wife, was woken up by the gunshot. Ramirez tied her up, beat her, and began robbing the home. Maxine was able to escape her bindings while Ramirez was occupied and found a shotgun under the bed. Unfortunately for Maxine, the gun was not loaded. This pissed Ramirez off and he retaliated by shooting her 3 times and then stabbed her multiple times with a carving knife from the kitchen. It was later determined that Ramirez gouged out her eyes post-mortem and placed them in a jewelry box, which Ramirez took with him. Ramirez left several clues behind at the scene: a shoe print outside in the flower bed and bullets matching those found at his previous crimes.

Vincent and Maxine Zazzara

source: killersstopwatch.tumblr.com

Ramirez struck next on May 14, 1985. He arrived at the Doi home late in the evening. He surprised 66 year old Bill Doi in his bedroom, beating him and shooting him in the face. Ramirez then went to Doi's wife bedroom and raped her. He then robbed the home. Bill succumbed to his injuries but Lillian survived.

Ramirez continues his deadly spree by stealing a car & stopping by a home in Monrovia, California on May 29, 1985. Inside were elderly sisters Mabel Bell and Florence Lang, both in their 80s. Ramirez tied up and bludgeoned both women with a hammer found in the kitchen. He used an electrical cord to shock both women. He raped Florence, then drew a pentagram on her thigh in lipstick. He also drew pentagrams on both women's bedroom walls during the crime. Both women lay comatose for days afterward with their injuries; Mabel died due to her injuries but Florence survived.

Still driving the stolen car, Ramirez drives to Burbank, California the next day and enters the Kyle home. 42 year old Carol Kyle and her 11 year old son were both home when Ramirez showed up. He held the family at gunpoint and robbed the home. He also sodomized Carol Kyle repeatedly. He bound the family and locked them in a closet, fleeing the scene shortly afterward.

Ramirez takes a short break but soon resumes his deadly deeds. On July 2, 1985, Ramirez enters the home of 75 year old Mary Louise Cannon where he robs the home, beats Mary Louise, and stabs her to death.

If anyone is keeping a count, Ramirez has (so far) viciously attacked 13 people. Of those 13 people, 9 have died due to Ramirez's actions. And he's not done yet.

On July 5, 1985, Ramirez broke into a home in Sierra Madre, California and brutally beats 16 year old Whitney Bennett as she slept. After failing to locate a knife, Ramirez resorts to strangling Whitney with a telephone cord. Ramirez was unsuccessful but fled the home. Whitney survived although she required 478 stitches to the lacerations on her head.

Two days later, Ramirez burglarized the home of 61 year old Joyce Nelson. Ramirez forcibly beats Joyce to death and kicks her in the head. Silver lining? He leaves a shoe print on his victim (spoiler alert--it's the same shoe print that he had left behind at the Zazzara home!)

On the same day, Ramirez enters the home of 61 year old Sophie Dickman. He robs the home at gun point and then beats Sophie. He attempts to rape her but fails. He flees the scene, leaving Sophie alive.

Ramirez purchases a machete and drives a stolen car to Glendale, California. He burgalarizes the home of 66 year old Lela and 68 year old Maxon Kneiding on July 20, 1985. He stabs both of them to death with his new machete and then shoots both of them. He then robs the home and flees.

On the same day, Ramirez arrives at the Khovananth home. He immediately shoots and kills 32 year old Chainarong Khovananth. He then ties wife Somkid Khovananth and their 8 year old child. He beats Somkid, also brutally sodomizing her. He robs the home and flees, leaving Somkid and the child alive.

Lela and Maxon Kneiding

source: murderpedia.org

Ramirez's next stop is the home of Virginia and Chris Peterson. He burglarizes and robs the home, shooting both husband & wife. Both survive their injuries.

August 8, 1985: Ramirez drives a stolen car to Diamond Bar, California. He enters the Abowath home in the middle of the night. He shoots and instantly kills 31 year old Elyas Abowath. He then binds and rapes 27 year old wife Sakine Abowath. During his rape, the couple's 3 year old child enters the bedroom and witnesses his mother being raped. Ramirez ties up the child and continues to rape Sakina. He robs the home, leaving Sakina and the child tied up. Sakina sent the child to the neighbor's home to get help and both survive. 

The Night Stalker had been following media coverage of his crimes and was pretty freakin' proud of himself. He felt like he had been in one place for too long, though, and was not ready to stop. He moved his sights from the Los Angeles area down to the San Francisco Bay area shortly after the Abowath murder.

Upon reaching the San Francisco area, Ramirez decides to burgle the home of 66 year old Peter Pan and 62 year old Barbara Pan. He shoots Peter in the head immediately. He then rapes and beats Barbara before shooting her in the head. Ramirez left the words "Jack The Knife" and a pentagram on a wall in lipstick. Ramirez again left behind crucial pieces of evidence: the same shoe print and bullet casings. Law enforcement was able to definitively link the shoe print and bullets to evidence collected at past crime scene, leading investigators to believe that the same killer was repetitively striking. News media leaked this information and law enforcement was livid because they knew that the killer would then have the opportunity to destroy evidence. Ramirez was still following the coverage of his crimes and saw what the police had figured out. So he threw his shoes over the side of the Golden Gate Bridge and headed back to Los Angeles.

Shortly after he returned to Los Angeles, he targeted the Romero home. On August 24, 1985, Ramirez was caught sneaking around the home when 13 year old James Romero III heard footsteps outside of his window. He alerted his parents who managed to scare away Ramirez. As he was fleeing, James Romero Jr. managed to catch the make, model, color, and partial license plate of Ramirez's car--not realizing who he had just seen.

On the same night, Ramirez decides to give it another go. He enters the home of Bill Carns in the early morning hours. 30 year old Bill and his fiancee 29 year old Inez Erickson were asleep in their bedroom. Ramirez shot Bill 3 times in the head, then beat Inez. During his assault, he told Inez that he was the Night Stalker and forced her to swear that she loved Satan. He left Inez tied up while he robbed the home. He then returned to Inez and raped her. Before leaving the home, he told Inez to make sure that she told them that the Night Stalker had done this. Inez managed to untie herself and seek help from a neighbor. Bill Carns survived his injuries. Inez was able to give a vivid description of Ramirez to police & he (once again) left a shoe print outside of the home. He also fled the home without his stolen car & a clear fingerprint was able to be recovered from the vehicle.

James Romero III riding new 4wheeler at police station

source: murderpedia.org

Because of this fingerprint, police were able to positively match it to Richard Ramirez, a known criminal in the State of Texas. Police released Ramirez's mugshot to the media and it was all down hill from that point.

On August 31, 1985, Richard Ramirez was on his way back from Arizona after visiting his brother. Blissfully unaware that his face was being plastered all over the media as a wanted killer, Ramirez was identified by a group of women and was pursued by police. A small car chase ensued and he was taken into custody.

Ramirez Being Arrested

source: murderpedia.org

On September 20, 1989, Richard Ramirez was convicted of  13 counts of murder, 5 counts of attempted murder, 11 counts of sexual assault, and 14 counts of burglary. He had entered a Not Guilty plea and maintained his innocence. He was sentenced to death in a gas chamber in the State of California. Ramirez is quoted as saying "Big deal. Death always went with the territory. See you in Disneyland."

Ramirez At Trial

Source: murderpedia.org

source: murderpedia.org

Ramirez appealed his convictions but lost in 2006. He attempted to appeal again but the California Court of Appeals denied his request for a rehearing. Undaunted, he had appeals pending until he died.

Since apparently Richard Ramirez was such a catch, he proposed and was married to Doreen Lioy. Their relationship began in 1985 and they were married in 1996. They eventually separated, shocker.

Richard Ramirez died on June 13, 2007 at a hospital in California due to complications from lymphoma. It is noted that Ramirez also suffered from substance abuse issues and chronic Hepatitis C infections.

It is believed that Ramirez victimized many other people through robbery and grand theft auto. Several people were physically assaulted as they attempted to stop Ramirez from stealing their cars. Luckily, their injuries were fairly minor and all survived.

*This killer is not to be confused with the Original Night Stalker aka Golden State Killer*